A Brief History of Shaolin Kung Fu

Another story is dated two decades before the arrival of TA-MO
(Bodhidharma) and dictates that two of Abbott BA Tuo's disciples, Hui
Guang and Seng Chou, helped to start the system with preexisting
exercises and martial arts. Abbot BA Tuo (the head and first Shaolin
Temple Abbot) was always enamored with the Chinese martial arts, and
actually recruited individuals skilled in them. BA Tua had witnessed an
incredible of balance and agility feat by Hui Guang. Hui kicked a
shuttle cock 500 times while balancing on a high wall. A fall would have
been fatal. Seng Chou had an extraordinary memory (memorizing the most
difficult sutras in one reading), and was extremely strong and skilled
in the martial arts. He enjoyed demonstrating his skills in wrestling
and martial art techniques, and took on all who contested him. It was
said no one could beat him.

By the end of 6th century AD (around 570 AD), the Shaolin ethic was
tarnished when a few renegade monks were charged for evil doings, and
using their skills for wrong doing. The Temple was temporarily closed.
But by the beginning of the 6th Century, their martial skills and
integrity went hand and hand. The new Emperor (around 600 AD) opened up
the temple. The first test of the Shaolin epic came soon after. They
were called upon (618 - 620 AD) to save Prince Li Shimin against the
oppression of the Sui Dynasty army. History says that 13 Shaolin Monks
fought off an entire brigade! Their mission a success, they were
rewarded with much food and land, and granted the right to drink wine
and eat meat. In return, Li helped by increasing the monks to 1000 by
adding 500 monk soldiers.

Through the preexisting exercises, martial arts, and people visiting
the Temple - whether it be Ming sympathizers fighting against the
Manchus, or other martial artists - the Shaolin Monks absorbed what was
useful and disregarded what they considered useless. Throughout the
centuries they continued to fight for the emperors, for the common man,
and for the common good. The Shaolin monastery was burned down several
times in the next centuries. These setbacks only strengthened the will
of the dedicated monks. Other temples were built to accommodate the
growing number of monks, and to house the ones that were misplaced by
the temple burning. The monks began returning to their roots. They
abolished the utilization of weapons. "We may not have knives, so every
finger is a dagger, without spears, every arm must be a spear, and every
hand a sword." Other temples (Fukien, Wu Dang, Guandong, E Mei Shan and
more) were built to accommodate the growing number of monks, plus house
the ones that were misplaced by the temple burning. Unfortunately, they
were attacked as well.

The legacy of Shaolin fell during the Ching Dynasty (1644 - 1911)
when the ruling foreign class The Manchu's - the ruling foreign class at
the time - kept a wary eye on them, even forbidding them to practice
martial arts. The Ching Emperors appointed Abbots to over see these
fighting monks. The monks were suppressed, belittled, and told to live a
more secluded life. These difficult and dangerous times gave birth to
secret societies, also known as the Triads. Their motto was "Restore the
Ming, Destroy the Ching." Nevertheless, Shaolin thrived within the pit
of darkness. The monks that fled hid in other temples, opera boats,
& other countries (Japan & Korea, etc.). They became cooks,
waiters, farmers, and continued to pass down what they were taught. Many
other styles of Kung Fu developed within their secret societies,
including Hung Gar & Wing Chun. Through time, these monks would
again thrive and play a part in expelling the Manchu's out of China.

In 1949, the Temple had eras of peace with the end of the Civil War
and the victory of the Communists and Mao Tse-Tung. However, this was
short lived. The Communist government soon outlawed the practice of
martial arts as "counterrevolutionary" and a threat to the state. Monks
practiced late at night high in the mountains and other various hidden
places to avoid detection and imprisonment. These dedicated
practitioners kept Shaolin from utter extinction, but even more perilous
times were approaching. The Cultural Revolution led by Madame Mao
followed in the 1960's. Young soldiers attacked all vestiges of China's
cultural past, including the Shaolin Temple. Teachers, fine artists and
learned professionals (among others) were imprisoned and killed in the
name of the revolution. Of all the Shaolin monks, four refused to flee
to safety and chose to remain at the burnt wreckage of the temple. They
were beaten and imprisoned for their courageous act of defiance, but
released once the madness of the revolution passed. Three of these monks
still live at the temple today.

After the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese government reorganized and
began to cultivate China's cultural past. The government began a slow
process of rebuilding the Hunan Temple. When it became public that the
Shaolin Temple was now enrolling students, literally tens of thousands
of young Chinese children ran away from home to learn the secret
fighting techniques of Shaolin Kung Fu. Many were turned away. And now
the new genesis of Shaolin is upon us. It began after the release of the
film Shaolin Temple (Shaolinsi) in 1982, starring Jet Li and Sun
Jianyun. In 1988, the Shaolin Temple Wushu training center was open as a
center for foreign guests to train with Shaolin Monks. The resurgence
of popularity from films and tourism has helped to fund continued
restoration and renovation of the Shaolin Temple. For 1500 years, the
Shaolin monks would, and still, absorb what is useful and disregard what
they considered useless. Throughout the centuries they continued to
fight for the emperors, for the common man, for the common good.

1995 marked the 1500-year Anniversary of the Shaolin Temple.
Grandmaster Wing Lam and his students embark on a Shaolin Training Tour
every summer. It is a pleasure to see that our Shaolin forms are
instantly recognized by the training monks (as well as Senior monk Shi
De Cheng), as being authentic and true to Shaolin. Currently, Senior
31st generation Shaolin monk Shi De Ching, serves as our personal
Shaolin trainer, as well as a few select senior monks, who specialize in
other forms, weapons, and internal exercises, other than what Shi De
Cheng teaches.

*Mandarin is the language used in Northern China, while Cantonese is the language primarily used in Southern China.